TATTOO - mkg-hamburg.de - Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe

English
TATTOO
13.02. till 06.09.15
AN EXHIBITION OF THE
GEWERBEMUSEUM WINTERTHUR
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Kept under wraps in winter and proudly displayed in summer: tattoos
are now ubiquitous. However, they are much more than just a current
mass phenomenon and trendy fashion accessory: many cultures
throughout the world are familiar with the tradition of tattooing, and
human skin has always been used as a canvas. Tattooing is one of the
earliest art forms and oldest handicrafts.
Tattoos last for a lifetime. Pigments are inserted under the skin for­
ever, yet they are as transient as the life of the person who bears them.
They tell personal stories, create identity and affiliation, embellish,
heal, protect – and they can both fascinate and repulse. For a long
while they were most commonly known as a mark of social distinction
or as a means of identifying social outcasts, and as a method of
self-stigmatization used by sailors, criminals, prostitutes and gang
members to distinguish themselves from “the other”. It is easy to
forget that the craze for inking one’s body spread even to aristocratic
circles in the later nineteenth century, in a trend that is now echoed by
the current fashion for tattoos.
The Tattoo exhibition is dedicated to old traditions and new stories. It
takes a look at the vibrant, innovative and multifaceted tattoo culture,
with a focus on artistic, artisanal and culture-specific issues. Interna­
tional exhibits from diverse perspectives are displayed and current
debates considered. This is the first time that an exhibition has
brought together such a broad range of references, presenting the
phenomenon of the tattoo with a particular focus on art and design,
since these enduring pictures, words and symbols inspire artists and
designers. The theme of the exhibition is therefore the reciprocal
­influence of art, traditional and lived tattoo art and visual design.
Expedition to Brazil Johann Baptist von Spix, 1817 – 1820
Between 1817 and 1820, the zoologist Johann Baptist von Spix and the
botanist Carl Friedrich Philipp von Martius undertook an expedition to Brazil
at the behest of Maximilian Joseph I, King of Bavaria. They were also interested in the culture of the Brazilian indigenous tribes on the Rio Yapurà, and
they published their findings in a three-volume travel report. The illustration
is a portrait of Juri, “The son of a cacique of the Jurì nation”.
Illustrated travel books were very popular in the 18th and 19th centuries.
They shaped western ideas about foreign cultures and also indicate the
early interest in exotic tattooing practices. James Cook’s reports on his
­expeditions to the South Seas in the 18th century contain the mention of the
word “tattow” derived from the Polynesian. The term quickly spread and
tattooing became popular in the Western world soon afterwards.
Early ethnographic drawings and engravings such as those made by Georg
Forster and Karl von den Steinen attracted widespread interest, as did
photographs at a later date such as the studio portraits taken by Felice
­Beato in Japan. They helped to make the art of tattooing into a symbol of the
eroticized alien, and a magico-mythical world of cults and rites. Tattoos
elicited a mixture of fascination and revulsion right from the start, particularly in middle-class circles during the 19th century: tattooing thus
­developed a dual character as both stigma and mark of distinction.
Spix, Johann Baptist von: Reise in Brasilien auf Befehl Maximilian Joseph I, König von Bayern, in
den Jahren 1817 bis 1820 / gemacht und beschrieben von Johann Baptist von Spix und Carl
­Friedrich von Martius – München: [s.n.], 1823 – 1831. Loan: Museum für Völkerkunde Hamburg
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Art is Dangerous, Pablo & Ruth, 2010 Enrique Marty (*1969, Spanien)
Oil paint on latex on polyurethane, human hair, textiles, metal, 155 x 90 x 53.5 cm/143 x 60 x 35 ­cm, loan: Deweer Gallery, Otegem, Belgium
Real portraits are always the starting point for Enrique Marty’s tragicomic
sculptures. The tattoos of “Pablo & Ruth” in the “Art is Dangerous” series
reflect the iconography of the tattoo motifs in Japanese yakuza which the
artist has explored in detail and incorporated into his work. His grotesque
figures also make reference to early sculptural traditions such as those used
in the quaint waxworks exhibitions of the 19th century. He builds on these
themes and develops an original sculptural world. Ironic inversions and
­humour are essential strategies which he uses as an effective weapon. “Art
is dangerous”: protest or parody? An allegory of the market system? Can art
be dangerous? Or should it be? What role does the art of tattooing play?
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Tattoo equipment
Throughout the world tattooing is performed by introducing pigments to the
dermis, or second layer of skin. Pieces of wood, thorns, bones, horns, tortoiseshells, metals and shards can be worked into tools. Depending on the
shape of the tattooing implement, the patterns produced may be smooth or
dotted, narrow or broad. The individual instruments have not changed
greatly over the years. However, one notable step forward was the use of
electricity which resulted in new techniques and styles at the beginning of
the 20th century after Samuel O’Reilly had patented his rotary tattoo machine in 1891. The electric motor moves the needles up and down regularly,
enabling the operator to work smoothly and steadily. It is also a less painful
process for the client. These electric machines are in widespread use today.
Nevertheless, traditional tools, which have hardly changed, are also still
employed.
Loans: Alpha Tattooshop, Rotkreuz | Bavarian Custom Irons, Grafing | Kaco Tattoo Machine,
­Fribourg | Kantonsbibliothek Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Trogen; PA Herbert Hoffmann | MT. Derm,
Berlin | Musée d’ethnographie de Neuchâtel | Collection Jens Uwe Parkitny, Singapur | Collection
Klaus Pichler, Wien | Pullmann Tools GmbH, Widnau |Tattoo Goods, Dresden | Tattooecke
­Kaufbeuren | Völkerkundemuseum der Universität Zürich | Tattoo Museum Willy Robinson
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Tattoo inks
It was not until the 20th century that tattoo inks began to be manufactured
as industrial products. Previously, they had been mixed in small quantities
according to individual recipes using pigments, oils and plant juices.
­Synthetic pigments not only altered the colour spectrum and production
techniques of tattoo inks, but also led to new requirements and constraints
as is clear from developments over the last forty years. Today, challenges in
the manufacturing process for tattoo inks primarily concern the purity of the
ink production process and the quality of the pigments procured. Other
­requirements tend to be connected with new problems which are no longer
to do with the actual pigment that is inserted into the skin. Nowadays the
main focus is on the risks posed by laser treatment for tattoo removal.
Painting the Lily! (1936, 1.12 mins.)
In this documentary, George Burchett (1872 – 1953) tattoos two women
with permanent makeup at his studio in the West End of London. His
­clientele included members of the English upper classes and European
royalty such as King Alfonso XIII of Spain, King Frederick IX of Denmark and
King George V of England. George Burchett also tattooed Horace Ridler, the
legendary Zebra Man also known as “The Great Omi”.
Loan: Deep Colours! The Inkfactory, Neuburg
Woman Tattooist (1952, 1 min.)
The first British female tattooist, Jessie Knight (1904 – 1994), tattoos young
women soldiers in Aldershot, Hampshire. She ran a number of studios from
the 1920s up to the 1980s.
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The Rich Mingins Collection
Rich Mingins (1916 – 1968) ran a tattoo studio with his father and his
brother Alf Mingins in Cumbria, which is in the north-west of England, and
later in London. Tattooing was his passion and he was a master of his craft.
He also collected photographs and newspaper cuttings about tattoos.
Today all that remains is his photo album which documents the history of
tattooing from 1922 to 1949. Unfortunately, it lacks a chronology or any
precise dates, and no accompanying commentary has been found. The
digital version with extracts from the photo album shows his clients, other
well-known tattoo artists of his era, copies of pictures that were in circulation at the time and the artist himself: Rich Mingins poses for the camera
with clenched fists, displaying the picture of Jesus Christ with crown, that
was tattooed on his chest by his brother Alf Mingins (no. 424).
From the Henk Schiffmacher Collection, Amsterdam
Tattoo Soldiers (1942, 1.15 mins.)
Three Australian soldiers talk about their tattoos from all over the world.
Tattoo Club (1954, 1.51 mins.)
The well-known British tattooist Les Skuse (1912 – 1973) founded the
Bristol Tattoo Club in 1953 and in 1955 he organized the world’s first tattoo
competition, the precursor of the tattoo conventions of today. In the 1950s
the Bristol Tattoo Club was the focal point of the tattoo scene, counting
­famous people such as Bob Maddison, Al Schiefley, Albert Cornelissen and
Tattoo Peter among its members.
All films are from the British Pathé film archive.
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Christian Warlich: the “King of the tattoo artists”
During his lifetime, Christian Warlich (1890 – 1964) was held to be the
greatest tattoo artist in Germany and gained an international reputation as
“King of the tattoo artists”. He had taught the craft to the Hamburg tattoo
legend Herbert Hoffmann and later made him to be his “Crown Prince”.
Warlich himself is believed to have come into this profession by chance.
­After an apprenticeship as a boilermaker he had gone to sea and become
acquainted with tattoo artists in the United States. From there, he brought
back one of the first electric tattoo machines.
In 1919, Warlich opened an
inn in today’s Clemens-Schultz-Straße in St. Pauli, Hamburg, where one of
the corners served as a “Modern Tattoo Studio”. Warlich took on tattooing as
a serious business: he promoted the store, traded with tattoo machines and
tools and in addition to his tattooing, he offered a residue-free and p
­ ainless
removal of tattoos by using a special tincture.
Warlich was not only noticed
because of his business sense, his work was characterized by craftsmanship and artistic standards, too. Unlike other tattoo artists of his time, he
strove for a continuous improvement of the shapes and for the moderni­
sation of the image repertoire. For these purposes, he developed new
­designs and collected all kinds of templates, for instance from Chinese
sample books, movie posters or advertising i­mages. In addition, Warlich
kept in contact with tattooists all over Europe, North America and Asia. They
exchanged sketches photographs and ­celluloid stencils with which the
outlines of the motifs were transferred to the skin of the customers.
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Tattoo-Motive von Herbert Hoffmann, Ausstellung «Tattoo», 7.9.2013–9.6.2014, Gewerbemuseum Winterthur / Blatt II
© Privatarchiv Herbert Hoffmann, Kantonsbibliothek Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Trogen
Photographs from the Christian Warlich estate, 1961. Loan: Hamburg Museum, Sammlung
­Fotografie
| Different acetates with tattoo motifs from the Christian Warlich estate, celluloid,
ca. 1950. Loan: Tattoo Museum Willy Robinson
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The tattooist Herbert Hoffmann: a legend
The world famous tattooist Herbert Hoffmann (1919 – 2010) lived through
and helped shape various stages of the history of western tattooing.
Throughout his life he was very keen to help tattoos gain acceptance and
social approval. Having been trained by Christian Warlich, he later became
the proprietor of Germany’s oldest tattoo studio in the St. Pauli district of
Hamburg, where he worked until 1980. He then moved to Switzerland,
where he lived with his partner Jakob Acker in Schwendi bei Heiden in the
canton of Appenzell Ausserrhoden. Hoffmann was active in the tattoo scene
right up to his death in 2010, attending conventions throughout E
­ urope and
acting as an important role model for younger tattoo artists. He himself bore
tattoos by Christian Warlich, Tattoo Peter, Tatover Ole, Horst Streckenbach
and others.
Throughout his life he was also a keen photographer and collector. Many of
his photographs were published in the photo book “Living Picture Books,
Portrait of a Tattooing Passion 1878 – 1952”, which is now out of print. The
images displayed in the exhibition are from his private archive and have
rarely been shown before. These are photographs from his personal albums
with portraits of his friends and clients. They depict Herbert Hoffmann
himself at different stages of his life, as well as his environment. At the same
time, they narrate an important chapter in the history of tattooing from the
1920s to the 1970s. Unfortunately his written comments can no longer be
traced.
The tattoo motifs are from Herbert Hoffmann’s own catalogue. Loan: Kantonsbibliothek Appen­
zell-Ausserrhoden, Trogen; PA Herbert Hoffmann
Women and tattoos from the private collection of Herbert Hoffmann
The picture archive of the tattooist and collector Herbert Hoffmann
(1919 – 2010) also includes photographs of tattooed women from the
1920s up to the 1970s. Some of them are photographs he took himself but
others are copies and images that were circulated in various forms by
like-minded people. They are not systematically arranged, most of them are
undated and there is no commentary. The collection also includes iconic
photographs which had a decisive impact on how tattooed women were
viewed at that period.
This selection of Herbert Hoffmann’s pictures is a chronicle of women with
tattoos, from circus attractions of the 1920s and glamour girls of the 1960s
to the predecessors of the famous “new burlesque” artists like Dita Von
Teese. However, there are also photos of “ordinary women” with tattoos in
the prim-and-proper 1950s and – more rarely – of female tattooists.
Herbert Hoffmann’s collection ends with the “renaissance” of tattooing in
the 1970s. At that time, women in particular were discovering tattoos as a
sign of self-empowerment and the number of female creative tattoo artists
making their way in this male-dominated profession began to increase.
Today there is a huge variety of (self-)expression by tattooed women, and
female tattoo artists play an essential and influential role in the rich contemporary tattoo culture.
Loan: Kantonsbibliothek Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Trogen; PA Herbert Hoffmann
A small selection of prominent female tattooists
Maud Stevens Wagner (1877 – 1961, photo from 1907)
The American tightrope walker and contortionist Maud Wagner was the first
well-known female tattooist in the Western world. Like others of the small
number of female tattooists in the 1920s, she learned her craft from her
husband, Gus Wagner, whom she met at the St. Louis World’s Fair in 1904.
Lady Viola (1898 – 1977)
Ethel Martin Vangi, who became famous as “Lady Viola”, was a circus
­performer and later tattooist; she had portraits of presidents Woodrow
Wilson, George Washington and Abraham Lincoln tattooed on her chest.
Her left thigh was tattooed with pictures of popular figures of the day, such
as Babe Ruth and Charlie Chaplin.
Artoria Gibbons (1893 – 1985)
Like many tattooed circus attractions, Anna Mae Burlington Gibbons was a
working-class woman who had herself tattooed when she fell on hard times,
and then earned good money as a result (especially as a woman). She and
her husband, the tattooist Charles Gibbons, travelled all over America in the
1920s and worked as a team in the circus business. She had one tattoo
showing a section of Botticelli’s “Annunciation”, another depicting a part of
Michelangelo’s “Holy Family”, and her chest featured a portrait of George
Washington.
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Cindy Ray
The last great circus lady, Cindy Ray – also known as “Miss Technicolor” or
“The Classy Lassie with the Tattooed Chassis” – toured Australia and New
Zealand in the 1960s. She learned how to do tattooing and is still working
today under her real name, Bev Nicholas, at the Moving Pictures Tattoo
Studio near Melbourne.
Loan: Kantonsbibliothek Appenzell Ausserrhoden, Trogen; PA Herbert Hoffmann
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Irene “Bobbie” Libarry, 1976 Imogen Cunningham (1883 – 1976, USA)
Silver gelatin estate print, 19.3 x 17.8 cm, loan: The Imogen Cunningham Trust, Lopez Island, USA
Irene “Bobbie” Libarry (1893 – 1978) worked as a circus performer,
­magician and market vendor. She was tattooed by her husband in 1918, ran
her own sideshow “The World’s Strangest People” in the 1930s and later
worked as a tattoo artist in San Francisco.
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Images of an epoch
Numerous historical portraits of tattooed men have been preserved in the
inheritance of the tattoo artist Christian Warlich (1890 – 1964). The pictures
probably originate in the 1880s to 1890s. Especially typical contemporary
garments, the beard and hair fashion of the time, relevant tattoo motifs from
the German Empire under William I or the symbol of the tenth World Expo in
1889, the Eiffel Tower, give information about this type. All images are
carefully rear numbered and labeled with the names of the people portrayed.
On display are mainly dock workers and seafarers; members of underprivileged workers who were not used to posing in front of a camera. In the late
19th century, the loading work in the ports was extremely cumbersome and
labour intensive, roosts such as the Hamburg Gängeviertel hosted thousands of working families. In this milieu relevant subjects such as anchors,
sailboats or professional characters show the belonging to
a social group.
The tattoos document but beyond the story of people’s lives. There are
­references to the military service or the crossing of the equator, as well as
prison stays or religious motives.
Twelve photographs on albumin paper, 24 x 18 cm: Martin Nötzel, Inv.Nr. 2013 – 4509 |
­Heinrich-August Kahlbohm, Inv.Nr. 2013 – 4513 | Albert Friedrich Wilhelm Koschorrek,
Inv.Nr. 2013 – 4515 | Franz Matthens, Inv.Nr. 2013 – 4478 | Karl Friedrich Wilhem Lüth,
Inv.Nr. 2013 – 4489 | Karl Paul Johann Frank, Inv.Nr. 2013 – 4492 | Wilhem Johann Stoldt,
Inv.Nr. 2013 – 4473 | Johann Georg Klotz, Inv.Nr. 2013 – 4472 | Eugen Wasbauer,
Inv.Nr. 2013 – 4537 | Wolf Wilhelm Daub, Inv.Nr. 2013 – 4452, | Karl Joachim Buse,
Inv.Nr. 2013 – 4455 | Carl Wilhelm August Otto Sternke, Inv.Nr. 2013 – 4491, loan: Hamburg
Museum, Sammlung Fotografie
Preserved tattoo specimens
The specimens date from around 1900. At the time they were used to
­identify unknown corpses. Photography was not yet in routine use at that
period and preserved specimens offered almost the only opportunity to
document a tattoo in detail and keep it for later identification. The oldest
known report of successful identification thanks to a tattoo dates back to
the 11th century: King Harold II of England fell in battle and is said to have
been identified by the inscription “Edith and England” tattooed above his
heart, thanks to which he was buried in a manner befitting his rank.
Dry and wet preserved specimens, loan: Anatomisches Museum der Universität Basel |
­Specimens from historical study collections, loans: Institut für Rechtsmedizin der Universität
Basel, Abteilung für Forensische Medizin; Institut für Rechtsmedizin der Christian-Albrechts-­
Universität zu Kiel, Medizin- und Pharmaziehistorische Sammlung
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Rudolf Archibald Reiss (1875 – 1929)
The criminologist, lecturer and photographer founded the “Institut de police
scientifique” at the University of Lausanne in 1909. He also helped to set up
courses in photography for investigative purposes at the same institution.
Forensic photography, which was being carried out according to standard
criteria for the first time was an essential component in his teaching. Since
tattoos are important identification features, Reiss paid particular attention
to them. However, the technology available at the time made it difficult to
obtain a sharp and accurate image. Reiss used ­photographs purely for
­forensic purposes. He refused to accept the then common opinion that
­offenders could be recognized simply because they had tattoos.
Emile Lavril, Romeo und Julia Tattoo, 14 November 1913, front and back view | Tattoos of an
“ancien joyeux soldat des bataillons d’Afrique”, 1 July 1912, front and back view | Tattoos,
July 1916, loan: IPS UNIL Lausanne | Musée de l’Elysée, Lausanne
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Photographs of Russian convicts
Up until the end of the 19th century, it was usual for the government to burn
the initials “B.O.R.” (Russian for thief) into thieves’ skin as a punishment.
Subsequently, tattoos developed as a distinctive feature of professional
criminals; serving as demarcation, identification, as well as a secret means
of communication: they transmit information such as affiliation, profession,
number of convictions or position in criminal hierarchies. This informal
practice transliterated the original stigmatisation inflicted through the
­government, using a pictorial repertoire borrowed from traditional tattoo
imagery while assigning a new meaning. Most of the prison tattoos were
done with primitive instruments, such as modified electric shavers with
­attached needles. Oftentimes, a self-made mixture of rubber and urine was
used as substitute ink, bearing great health risks.
Arkady Bronnikov (*1926) was a leading forensic doctor at the interior ministry of the USSR. From the mid-1960s until the mid-1980s he interviewed
and photographed numerous inmates of labour camps in the Urals and
­Siberia. Today, Bronnikov is a leading expert on tattoo iconography and
owns what is considered to be one of the biggest photographic collections
of Russian prison tattoos.
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Arkady Bronnikov, Photographs of Russian convicts, 1960 – 1980, digital print on paper,
loan: Fuel Design and Publishing, London
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Prison tattoos
The Austrian photographer Klaus Pichler (*1977) spent eight years looking
for ex-prisoners, photographing their tattoos and writing down the stories
behind them. The result was an impressive documentary account of the still
poorly researched history of prison tattoos. The pictures and interviews
were published in the book “Inked for Life. The World of Prison Tattoos”.
Image: Untitled, Klaus Pichler (*1977, Vienna), paper on aluminium, 60 x 40 cm
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Tradition and taboo
The acceptance of tattoos in Japanese society is subject to constant
change. In the 19th century, large tattoos were considered decorative and
were carried openly by rickshaw drivers, for example. For the scantily clad
men an ornate body was helpful for their business because it attracted the
attention of customers. The image of bullies and petty criminals adhered to
rickshaw drivers, as well as to other professions from the simple population
which led to a long-term negative perception of the skin images. As an
identifying feature of “outlaws” they also function in the criminal milieu of
the yakuza. In the Japanese mafia organization, tattoos still illustrate the
milieu name of the bearer (“serpent”, “dragon”, etc.) and document his gang
membership. The result was a social aversion to tattoos which continues to
this day and also unjustly criminalises innocent citizens. Unlike their historical predecessors, taxi drivers today would only flaunt their tattoos for a
photographer; because they are not good for business. Tattoos in Japan
were rarely shown openly; in public bath houses they are even forbidden to
this day. It was only through the appreciation of the Japanese tattoo tradition
by the American tattoo scene of the 1960s and 1970s that the taboo was
­partially revised.
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Image: Unknown, Japanese Tattoo, 1880 – 1890, albumin paper, 27 x 21 cm, Inv.Nr. P1984.463
Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg
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Flesh Color Masahiko Adachi (*1983, Tokio)
Japan / 2010 / Animation / 4 Min.
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Japanese colour woodcuts: The 108 heroes of the “Suikoden”
The Japanese name “Suikoden” stands for a famous Chinese adventure
story that became very popular in both countries. In this story, a group of
rebels fights against corruption and injustice, campaigning for the poor and
the disadvantaged. The story originates in the 14th century and is set in the
12th century. For the first time, Kuniyoshi displays these rebels with naked,
­tattooed bodies which lead to a great success of the book. Until today, the
Suikoden is a well-known theme of Japanese culture such as computer
games and TV series.
Untitled, 2004 Fumie Sasabuchi (*1975, Tokio / Berlin)
Utagawa Kuniyoshi (1797 – 1861), Konkoryu Rishun, 1827 – 1830, colour woodcut on paper,
37.5 x 25.7 cm, Inv.Nr. S2012.62 | Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Tengan Isobyôe und Yajin Ran,
1830 – 1845, colour woodcut on paper, 37 x 25 cm, Inv.Nr. S2012.55 Museum für Kunst und
Gewerbe Hamburg
Image: Utagawa Kuniyoshi, Tanmeijirôgenshôgo, 1827 – 1830, colour woodcut on paper,
38.7 x 26 cm, Inv. Nr. S2012.56
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Untitled, 2004 Fumie Sasabuchi (*1975, Tokio / Berlin)
Watercolour, acrylic paint and ceramic, each 50 x 30 x16 cm, loan: Sammlung Becker, Cologne
The ceramic Playmobil figures by Fumie Sasabuchi take their inspiration
from the world of the toy industry. She paints them with colourful torso
­tattoos, thus uniting a symbol of Western mass consumption with mythical
pictures from Japanese culture.
Pencil on paper, 29.5 x 20.5 cm, loan: private collection, Austria
Fumie Sasabuchi draws irezumi tattoos on the skin of pictures of young girls
taken from the children’s fashion magazine “Vogue Angels”. The motifs of
the tattoos are part of the traditional repertoire of the Japanese yakuza
­mafia, and symbolise mortal danger, superhuman strength and special
­protection, among other things. Sasabuchi unites two media from Western
and Eastern popular culture: photography from modern fashion magazines
and the traditional woodcut. She combines Japanese myths with Western
picture subjects and plays with the ensuing ambivalent images.
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The Mara Salvatrucha gang warfare in El Salvador
Twelve years of civil war in El Salvador came to an end in 1992. Today, gang
warfare is an everyday reality in San Salvador, mainly because of two gangs:
the Mara Salvatrucha (MS) and the Mara 18 (18). Every year 2,000 people die
as a result. Some 14,000 abandoned youths dedicate their lives to the
gangs which replace their families. They are the successors of the US gangs
that were founded in the 1980s by refugees from the Salvadoran civil war.
The Mara gangs today, which originated in the ghettos of Los Angeles, have
over 70,000 members in El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras.
Members generally have a tattoo containing the letters M or MS, as well as
the number 13 which refers to the position of M in the alphabet. Tattoos in
the shape of teardrops represent the number of murders committed, or
commemorate the death of a fellow Mara member and friend. The words
“La vida loca” stand for “the crazy life” in the Mara, and a downward-pointing
M formed with the fingers is used as a sign of recognition.
Christian Poveda (1955 – 2009, France)
El Gangster de Iberia (Mara Salvatrucha), San Salvador, 2008, paper on aluminium, 60 x 58 cm |
El Molle (Mara 18) and his daughter, San Salvador, 2004, paper on aluminium, 60 x 60 cm | La
Liro (Mara 18) and Cesarito, San Salvador, 2008, paper on aluminium, 60 x 90 cm | Interviews
with gangmembers, El Salvador / France / 2005 / doc. / 12 mins., loan: Agence Vu’, Paris
The Spanish-French photographer and documentary filmmaker Christian
­Poveda spent over a year with members of the Mara 18. He followed the
lives of these “lost youths”, documenting them through interviews, impressive photographs and the film “La vida loca” (El Salvador / France / 2008 /
90 mins.). Poveda was killed by several shots to the head in San Salvador in
2009 while working on another film.
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Face tattoos, Burma
The face tattoos of the Chin women in Burma form part of a ritual to mark the
transition from childhood to the adult world. Female tattoo artists use thorns
or needles to prick patterns into the skin. The symbolic meaning of the lines
and dots cannot be ascertained, since no records exist. All that is known is
that the patterns differentiate one clan from another. Although the tradition
of facial tattooing has died out in many parts of Burma, it is now experiencing a partial revival.
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Jens Uwe Parkitny (*1965, Singapur)
Ma Wine, Laytu-Chin, Northern Rakhine, 2003, paper on aluminium, 30 x 30 cm | Ma Hla Oo,
Laytu-Chin, Northern Rakhine, 2005, paper on aluminium, 30 x 30 cm | Pou Lee, N’gha-Chin,
Southern Chin State, 2005, paper on aluminium, 30 x 30 cm | Sutu-Chin-Frau vom Oberlauf des
Lemro Flusses, Northern Rakhine, 2004, paper on aluminium, 30 x 30 cm | Mna Thi, M’khanChin, Southern Chin State, 2002, paper on aluminium, 30 x 30 cm | Ma Ning Li, Mün-Chin,
Southern Chin State, 2002, paper on aluminium, 30 x 30 cm
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Tā Moko, New Zealand
The Tā moko facial tattoos of the Maori in New Zealand give information
about family membership, ancestors and social position, as well as the
specific abilities of the tattooed person. Each part of the face is dedicated to
a particular type of information. Few people have a tattoo in the centre of the
forehead, for example, since this indicates high status. Men can usually wear
tattoos over the entire face, whereas women have them only on the chin
area. This tattoo tradition has been suppressed for a long period, as also
happened in other cultures, but the Tā moko have recently been experiencing a renaissance.
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Becky Nunes (*1965, Auckland)
June Tangohau, Uawa region, 2006, paper on aluminium, 60 x 45 cm | Taurewa Victor Biddle,
Waimana region, 2006, paper on aluminium, 60 x 45 cm | Hano Tihema, Uawa region, 2006,
­paper on aluminium, 60 x 45 cm
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Sak Yant, Thailand
Sacred tattoos known as Sak Yant are commonly found in Thailand. They
protect the bearers from accidents, misfortune and crime. At the same time
they help them to lead a morally upright life. However, the rules set by the
tattooist must be obeyed or the tattoos lose their power. Sak Yants are not
intended for public view and therefore often kept hidden. The motifs used
are ­derived from ancient Khmer script writings and animal symbols such as
­tigers, dragons, birds, snakes and lizards. The tiger, or Yant Sua, is a popular
subject and is associated with strength, fearlessness and power.
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Aroon Thaewchatturat (*1975, Bangkok)
Koy, blessed photograph, Bangkok, 2010, paper on plastic, 60 x 40 cm | Oh, blessed
­photograph, Bangkok, 2010, paper on plastic, 60 x 40 cm | Num, blessed photograph,
­Bangkok, 2010, paper on plastic, 60 x 40 cm | Dong, blessed photograph, 2010, paper on
­plastic, 60 x 40 cm
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Tattoo Master
There are several hundred tattooists in Thailand. Monks tattoo in their
­temples, and tattoo masters in studios. They are authority figures and their
followers also seek advice from them. The sacred tattoos link tattooist and
tattooed for a lifetime.
38-year-old Achan Neng Onnut is a tattoo master in On Nut, a district of
Bangkok. The pricked motif is called Pho Kae. It depicts a recluse, or hermit,
and bestows wisdom, goodness and a peaceful mind to the bearer. The
­tattoo master recites a mantra in order to activate the tattoo.
Tattoo Master Andreas Nebeling, (*1970, Bangkok)
Thailand / 2011 / doc. / 3.20 mins.
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Don’t worry …, 2013 Goran Galić & Gian-Reto Gredig (*1977 / *1976, Switzerland)
7 videos on monitors / sound / 138 mins. | 1 projection / loop / no sound / Swiss German /
German (German subtitles)
In a work specially created for the Tattoo exhibition, Goran Galić and
Gian-Reto Gredig asked 22 tattooed people for their personal tattoo
­
­stories. Starting with the story of the origins of the first tattoos, other areas
are explored such as the relationship with the body, the style of the tattoos
and how tattoos create identity. The video interviews are linked with a
­projection which focuses on the tattoos of the respondents, revealing them
as body images in constant motion.
250 cm line tattooed on six paid people, 1999,
Santiago Sierra (*1966, Madrid / Mexico D.F.)
Espacio Aglutinador, Havanna / Cuba / doc. / 28.17 mins. / no sound, loan: Galerie Kow, Berlin
In 1999 Santiago Sierra recruited six young unemployed men in Havana to
stand in a row and have a horizontal line tattooed on them, running continuously from one man’s back to the next, in exchange for 30 dollars each.
Further versions of this performance were carried out and documented as
simply as possible. It alludes to the unequal values of capitalist society and
to the relative and haphazard nature of remuneration. The imprecise line
drawn of the tattoos suggests scarring, so the participants in the performance – members of socially marginalized groups – were subjected to
­further stigmatisation.
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80064, 2004 Artur Żmijewski (*1966, Warsaw)
Poland /11 mins. / doc. / Polish with English subtitles / loaned by the artist and Galerie Peter
Kilchmann, Zürich
The Polish artist Artur Żmijewski takes an unsparing and provocative look at
the tattooing that took place in the Nazi concentration camps. His video
shows 92-year-old Auschwitz survivor Josef Tarnawa whom the artist
­persuaded to have his fading camp number re-inked. While the tattooist is
renewing the numbers, Josef Tarnawa recalls the most traumatic time of his
life. Artur Żmijewski’s video work polarises opinions. On the one hand, Josef
Tarnawa is stigmatized for a second time, but on the other, the number on his
left forearm acts as a shocking memorial. According to Artur Żmijewski,
nowadays active remembrance is often far too conventional.
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In the history of western tattooing, brands and involuntary tattoos have
receded into the background, although the practices used during the
­
Second World War remain deep in people’s memories. Whereas the
­
­prisoners in Auschwitz were numbered, members of the SS had their blood
group tattooed on their upper arms. This meant that after the war, what had
started out as a useful medical information turned out to be an irreversible
identification mark. The social connotations of a tattoo change over time,
with proud insider symbols becoming the stigmata of an outsider group.
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Tim, 2006 – 08 Wim Delvoye (*1965, Belgium)
“It was the best of times”, 2013 Mario Marchisella (*1972, Switzerland)
Tattoo, loan: Sammlung Reinking, Hamburg
Audio installation / stereo / 15 mins. / loop / music & sound design: Mario Marchisella / text:
Charles Dickens, from: “A Tale of Two Cities” (1859)
Tim Steiner, a Swiss citizen, has had a work by the Belgian conceptual artist
Wim Delvoye tattooed on his back. In 2008 the tattoo was sold to a
­Hamburg-based art collector who acquired the right to lend, sell and
­bequeath Tim Steiner as a loan object and to preserve his skin after his
death. Since then, the work, called “Tim”, has given rise to international
­controversy. It raises important questions about ethics in the art market, and
about power and the right to dispose of the human body (and its organs,
such as the skin).
“Tim” will be present at the exhibition on Saturday and Sunday, April 11th & 12th, as well as on
Saturday and Sunday, June 27th & 28th between 2 pm and 6 pm
The composition was based on a photo that “accidentally fell into the artist’s
hands”; it shows two forearms bearing a tattoo of the opening words of
Charles Dickens’ novel “A Tale of Two Cities” in which a particular era and its
associated longings, hopes, joys and misery are described. The soft, monotonous buzzing of the tattoo machine as it is rhythmically manipulated is set
against minimalist musical motifs and a sung text. The material is interwoven
and compressed in a similar way to how a tattoo is produced – layer by layer.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of
­foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it
was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had
everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all
going direct the other way ...”
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Donata, 2005 Wim Delvoye (*1965, Belgium)
Pig tattooed and stuffed, loan: Burger Collection, Hong Kong
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“I considered other animals but pigs are very similar to human beings: we
have the same sort of skin, eat the same foods and have the same organs.
Tattooed pigs look like tattooed people.”
Wim Delvoye, 2010
Auto Ink, 2010 Chris Eckert (*1968, USA)
Metal, paint, microelectronics, 137 x 56 x 50 cm, loaned by the artist
Between 2004 and 2008, the Belgian conceptual artist Wim Delvoye
­sedated domestic pigs on his “Art Farm” in China and had them inked by
several professional tattooists working simultaneously. They were later
­exhibited at the museum, either alive or stuffed.
The kinetic sculpture of American artist Chris Eckert draws a random
­religious symbol on the arm of a volunteer subject. Membership of a religion
integrates, connects and offers an ethical and moral framework for living
with others. Yet many faiths compete with each other and regard the others
with resentment and politically motivated enmity. Chris Eckert’s tattooing
machine explores how having a particular faith can affect peaceful co-­
existence in a globalized world.
In European history, the now defunct tradition of religious pilgrim tattoos is
an example of the practice of tattooing as a mark of identity and segregation. Examples include the crusader tattoos and tattooed guild symbols in
the Middle Ages.
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Contemporary tattoo art
Inking the skin requires the same aesthetic imagination and care, the same
manual dexterity, and the same knowledge of materials and colour as other
artistic processes. The innovative contemporary tattoo scene is transcending the language of classical tattooing and regenerating the medium. The
image loop shows a diverse range of top quality works by international tattoo
artists in a huge variety of styles.
Luke Atkinson, DE | Curly, GB | Mike DeVries, USA | Thea Duskin, USA | Lionel Fahy, FR | Sabine
Gaffron, DE | Valentin Hirsch, DE | Saira Hunjan, GB | Inma, GB | Bastien Jean, FR | Jon John, GB |
Guy LeTatooer, FR | Filip Leu, CH | Karl Marc, FR | Volko Merschky & Simone Pfaff, DE | Léa Nahon,
FR | Roxx, USA | Minka Sicklinger, USA | Liam Sparkes, GB | Jacqueline Spoerlé, CH | Kostek
­Stekkos, BE | Amanda Wachob, USA | Seth Wood, USA
Image: Thea Duskin, Untitled, 2011, © Thea Duskin, photo: Kimberly Frost
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Tradition and modernity
The rich and cross-cultural collection of the MKG has served as an
­inspiration for creative work to artists and craftspeople for over 130 years.
The classic ornaments of historism, the floral patterns of art nouveau or the
spirited characters of Japanese wood cuts: the continuous examination with
this kind of historic artwork and its adaption into one’s own visual language
are just as much a part of the art of tattooing as the creation of new images.
In the autumn of 2014, the MKG has invited a selection of Hamburg tattoo
artists to use the museum’s collection as a starting point for new tattoo
­designs.
Frank, Taki, Nikkels (Endless Pain) | Christian Hensen, Seb Winter, Jules Wenzel (Immer & Ewig) |
Robert Gorlt (Tattoo Nouveau) | Chriss Dettmer (Black Hole Tattooing) | Hanadi Chawaf (­Hanadis
­Garage)
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Image: Taki, Über(leben), 2014
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Scientific tattoos
The American science journalist Carl Zimmer has a blog in which he collects
examples of scientific tattoos (among others). These have also been
­published in his book “Science Ink: Tattoos of the Science Obsessed”
­(Sterling Press, 2011).
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The End Timm Ulrichs (* 1940, Berlin)
Eyelid tattoo, 1970/1981/1997, inkjet print on canvas on stretcher bars, 150 x 150 cm, loaned
by the artist
In 1981, Timm Ulrichs had “THE END” tattooed on his right eyelid by “Tattoo
Samy” (Horst Heinrich Streckenbach). The tattoo, which can only be read
when the eye is closed, recalls the final credits of a film, the last performance
and the final moment. This tattoo event was also documented on film,
­created in the context of the video of the same name which juxtaposes
60 final images from various classic films, without comment.
TATTOO
13.02. till 06.09.15
The Tattoo exhibition has been produced by the
Gewerbemuseum Winterthur.
Interpretation of art and design
Silke Oldenburg, Manuela van Rossem,
Friederike Fankhänel
Exhibition concept
Susanna Kumschick
Press
Michaela Hille, Friederike Palm
Project management Winterthur
Susanna Kumschick, Markus Rigert
Marketing
Silke Oldenburg, Ulrike Blauth
Project management Hamburg
Dennis Conrad, Simon Klingler
With the participation of
Masahiko Adachi (JP) | Diane Arbus (USA) |
Arkady Bronnikov (RU) | Imogen Cunningham (USA) |
Wim Delvoye (BEL) | Chris Eckert (USA) | Goran Galić &
Gian-Reto Gredig (CH) | Herbert Hoffmann (DE/CH) |
Mario Marchisella (CH) | Enrique Marty (ESP) |
The Rich Mingins Collection (GB) | Ralf Mitsch (NL) |
Becky Nunes (NZ) | Jens Uwe Parkitny (DE) |
Klaus Pichler (AUT) | Christian Poveda (FR) |
Rudolf Archibald Reiss (DE/CH) | Fumie Sasabuchi (JP) |
Santiago Sierra (ESP) | Aroon Thaewchatturat (THA) |
Timm Ulrichs (DE) | Christian Warlich (DE) |
Marlon Wobst (DE) | Artur Zmijewski (POL)
Specialist assistance
Beatrix Jeanneret, Mario Pellin, Ole Wittmann
Exhibition design
René Hillebrand
Exhibition construction
Frank Hildebrandt (overall management),
Alberto Polo,
Damian Kowalczyk, Egon Busch, Grigorij Medwediev,
Mike Martens
Registrar
Annika Pohl-Ozawa, Moritz Meister, Sarah Hofer Ingold
Editorial revision
Simon Klingler, Luzia Davi, die Wörterei
Translations
Kathy Smith, Christiane Göllner, Ariane Mönche
Graphic design campaign and booklet
Neue Monarchie Agentur für Kommunikation GmbH,
Alexandra Noth
Graphic design exhibition
Andreas Torneberg, Ahmed Salman
Audiovisual installations
Klangbild GmbH, Adliswil
Rob & Rose, Zürich
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Interactive exhibits
Gilbert Nigg, programming
Martin Stillhart, design
We would like to thank all who have contributed to
the success of this exhibition, including those who
have lent works from public and private collections,
the experts who have shared their knowledge,
and everyone who has provided support of any kind.
Publisher
Gewerbemuseum Winterthur, Kirchplatz 14,
8400 Winterthur, Switzerland, www.gewerbemuseum.ch
Museum für Kunst und Gewerbe Hamburg, Steintorplatz,
20099 Hamburg, www.mkg-hamburg.de
Printing
Dräger + Wullenwever print + media Lübeck GmbH
Cover artwork
Maud Stevens Wagner, Tattoo Artist, USA 1877 – 1961 |
Ashleigh tattooed by Saira Hunjan, 2010, © Saira Hunjan,
Image: Tareq Kubaisi
www.mkg-hamburg.de